Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 27: The Kerala Cabinet has decided to acquire the Elstone Estate in Kalpetta Municipality to rehabilitate victims of the landslide that struck the Mundakkai-Chooralmala area in Wayanad district on July 30 last year.
Initially, the government planned to establish a township for the affected families at both Nedumbala and Elstone estates. However, an official statement confirmed that following the Wayanad District Collector's assessment, which identified 430 eligible families, only Elstone Estate will be acquired in the first phase.
Rehabilitation Plan and Financial Aid
The land will be subdivided into seven-cent plots to facilitate housing for the beneficiaries. Families opting for financial aid of ₹15 lakh instead of relocating to the township have been excluded from the beneficiaries receiving residential plots list.The Cabinet also approved tenure-related policies for the model township. While the provided land and houses will be heritable, they cannot be sold or transferred for 12 years. However, in exceptional cases, the government will evaluate if beneficiaries can secure loans by mortgaging the property before this period ends.
Survivors’ next of kin can be jointly listed as recipients of the housing units. Additionally, beneficiaries must dismantle and remove reusable materials such as doors and windows from their damaged homes before receiving a house or financial compensation.
Financial Support and Allowances
The government has allocated ₹20 lakh as sponsorship for constructing each house. The existing ₹300 monthly assistance for disaster victims will continue under the same terms.Furthermore, families residing in rented accommodations will receive ₹1,000 worth of coupons per month through the Kerala State Civil Supplies Corporation (Supplyco) under the CSR Fund. Each coupon will remain valid for two months.
Future Phases of Rehabilitation
The Wayanad District Collector will compile the draft list for the second rehabilitation phase. This phase will cover families whose houses, while outside the no-go zone, remain utterly isolated due to the impact of the landslide.The statement added that the State Empowered Committee will oversee the implementation and further action in this regard.
